Koya lay in his bed with his arm slung over his head and thought about the night he just had. His thoughts flowed within his Kitsune in rhythm with all the new feelings he was experiencing since realizing Belicia was his fated.

How would he bring her into the reality of who she was? And do it while keeping Tuto from interfering.

He thought about the way her heart beat beneath his hand as he cuddled her. He knew she had to be feeling the same. He drifted in and out of sleep, tossing and turning with all the conflicting emotions.

On one hand he wished for their love to be graceful, blossoming naturally with each passing day. On the other hand, he felt the urgent need to be open with her and establish their relationship as soon as possible, but she had not been taught the ways of the Kitsune.

It was unfortunate.

He wondered if her mother know who she was? When he had realized Belicia had no plans to stay in his home while her parents were away, he had quickly taken steps to clear the way for her, using his telepathy to change both his parents and her parents' plans for her.

While his Kitsune accessed her mothers essence he hadn't seen a trace of her having knowledge of her ancestry. This puzzled him greatly.

Surely, somewhere in her past she had to have been told something or at least suspected something was different about her. How did one go their whole life without knowing? Or, perhaps she did know, and had not wanted that for herself or her daughter. It would prove to make things difficult if this were the case, Koya thought.

Of course many generations had passed between her fore-mothers and today. Perhaps one of them had not accepted their lineage. It would only take one to change the course of the future.

A forlorn sigh escaped Koya with these conflicting issues. Should he just tell Belicia everything and get it over with? He wanted to so badly, but he could not.

To do so would just complicate things. And she might not accept it at all, but instead she could completely reject him if he tried to spring the truth too soon.

Ahhhhhhh. Koya pulled his blankets up over his head in futility. Why did all of this have to be so hard?

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Belicia lay in bed twirling her hair around and around her finger. Ava already slept nearby, in peaceful bliss, unaware of her best friend's raging emotions. Of course Ava wouldn't understand Belicia's conflict. Even though they had both grown up in Kingsley Summit, Ava had no idea what it was like being an only child. She had two older brothers and a younger sister. She was used to all the things having siblings taught you.

For Belicia these new feelings were foreign. She had lived here her entire life and most everyone she grew up with, with the exception of a few kids who had lived here only a short time, were her friends. That was the only way she had ever seen them. Friends.

When Koya arrived something had sparked inside her. A new set of feelings she couldn't easily explain.

Call her a late bloomer, because even Ava had dated guys they went to school with. Plus, Ava was a well traveled military brat. She had experience with all types of different people.

She had never understood Belicia's protected life. Bel's dad had entered the civilian world right after she was born and settled down.

Being an only child wasn't all fun and games. It was difficult. And Belicia had learned the hard way, that things didn't always get to go her way. She wasn't used to trying to figure out what someone else was thinking or wanting, and that was the very reason she normally shunned these little 'fun night's' all together.

Then there was the intense attraction she was feeling for Koya. Was this love? Or simple infatuation? His touch ignited her like a matchstick striking brick. She wished she could deny it but she couldn't.

He was all she could think about now.

But here she was, trying to figure it all out for herself and where was Ava? Sleeping her cares away! Belicia got out of bed and went over, giving Ava a light shake.

"Hey. Wake up. I want to talk," she whispered.

Ava's head rose slightly off her pillow. "What? No, Bel, ugh." She smarted back pulling the blankets over her head.

"Ava," Belicia said a little louder.

"Ohhh God. What?" This time she pushed the blanket off and sat up.

Belicia hopped on the bed beside her. "Have I fallen in love with Koya? I need to know Av."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"Desiree please."

"No Tuto," Desiree snapped. "I'm not imagining things. Belicia has been after you ever since we got together. She can just have you."

"I'm telling you she has never liked meeee," Tuto whined. "I can prove it if you'll just give me a chance!"

"How! There is no way to prove that Tuto!"

"Just listen. Please. I promise if you just help me you'll see. I want you back Desi, please."

Desiree huffed. "Oh whatever. Just tell me and hurry up, I promised the girls I'd meet them at Summit Skate Park and it's getting late!"

"Alright, come here," Tuto cajoled, pulling her into his arms. She relented, and when he bent toward her lips she met his kiss with fiery abandon.

Her arms snaked around the back of his neck and she pulled him into her embrace kissing him back with a possessive hunger. Tuto may be an oaf, but he was her oaf and she really wasn't willing to share him with anyone.

Her little plot had gained his attention though and she was gratified with the thought that he didn't want to lose her. If he only knew she would do anything to keep him. Maybe she could use his desperation to prove to him that he belonged to her, and her alone.

Tuto relished in the moment of feeling he had convinced Desiree to give him one more chance. If her kiss meant anything, it told Tuto her feelings for him were still there, and if he could get her to help him without telling her all the facts, that was even better.

Koya boya would soon understand, nobody messed with Tuto. His plan to expose Koya was brilliant, in his mind, and would send him squealing home to his mommy, ending the chance that Kurogane would ever be able to stop Yako, and also put Belicia right into his hands. The moment her body had collided with his he had known, and he was not going to let Koya steal what was rightfully his.

Belicia belonged to him, and all the power she brought with her would also be his. At least when she figured out who she was. And Tuto fully planned to make sure she knew about it, and quickly.